Gossip

One of the great decade-long singles runs is straightforwardly documented on Respect M.E., a compilation distributed throughout Europe and, unfortunately, not released in the States. From 1997 through 2006, Missy Elliott's work – often the product of a partnership with producer Timbaland – was in steady rotation on the radio and on video programs. Nearly every time out, she came up with something fun, inventive, out of this world, and lasting, charting alternate paths for pop music while also projecting the image of a fully empowered plus-size woman in a mainstream populated by females who tended to be anything but. Although each one of Elliott's albums is well worth owning, nothing can deny the need for this release, which includes almost every noteworthy track she released during the period, from "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" through the underappreciated "Teary Eyed." The most significant omissions are "Lick Shots" and "Take Away": hardly deal breakers. An ideal companion release would contain the hits Elliott wrote and/or produced for other artists, such as Aaliyah's "One in a Million," SWV's "Save Me," 702's "Where My Girls At," Nicole's "Make It Hot," Total's "What About Us," Monica's "So Gone," and Tweet's "Oops (Oh My)." During these years, there was no greater force in popular music.

This is an electric album and a brilliant one, but so are all Stern's albums. It all starts off with "Gossip", which has the typical Stern sound, and features the great Michael Brecker on sax. Then on to the title track, a more mellow piece with a nice solo (energized when Stern switches on his overdrive), and featuring Bob Berg on sax. The mood is turned down in "Before You Go", a quality ballad, with some nice acoustic stuff in it - great melodic piece. After that a jazzy Stern signature piece ("No Notice"). And then the centerpiece of the album, "After All".